大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Mairi Campbell of the 大象传媒 on behalf of Mr Peter Bruce and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

When the Highland Division left Malta a severe storm broke. A mate and I, who weren鈥檛 seasick, were detailed as aircraft lookouts. Soon we heard the sound of aircraft engines, reported to the bridge and were told it was airborne troops who were to land before us. We later learned the terrible storm had blown the paratroops into the sea.

Eventually succumbing to seasickness we finally landed at our destination Porto Palo. Our cooks soon had breakfast ready and I was about to enjoy mine on an empty stomach when sergeant detailed me to go out with a LCA (Landing Craft Assault) load of casualties to one of the troopships. The sergeant would not wait til I had had my breakfast, 鈥淭hey are waiting for a medic to assist the casualties aboard the ship鈥�, so once more I was in the sea, now reduced to a very heavy swell.

Reaching the troopship we found there was a rough-weather stabilising beam about a foot wide right round the ship. The sailors brought the LCA alongside on the crest of a wave to the rope ladders. Just then, with the falling sea, the keel of the LCA caught on a stabilising beam, threatening to tip all on board outwards into the sea, which was now four feet below the beam. On the upsurge of the wave the deck of the LCA was caught on the underside of the beam, threatening to tip the occupants inboard, with the possibility of being crushed between the massive side of the troopship and the steel hull of the LCA.

Amid shouts of pain and panic from the wounded, the sailors seemed at a loss to cope with the situation. I thought that as I was in charge of the casualties, it was up to me to do something.

An old soldier鈥檚 advice to me had been, do your duty but no heroics, better a living coward than a dead hero. That advice was immediately forgotten as I grabbed a boathook and, when the LCA came level with the stabiliser I stepped on to the beam. I was soon chest deep in seawater but the boat hook being jammed between the two vessels, prevented me from floating away.

My difficulty was now in keeping the LCA parallel with the troopship. A sailor spotted my problem and, grabbing another boathook stepped onto the stabiliser as soon as it had shed water and we managed to keep the LCA from capsizing. This kept the LCA away from the ladders and I suggested a cargo net would solve the problem. When the sailor shouted up the suggestion a floored cargo net was immediately available. After several lifts the casualties were safely on board the ship and the LCA stood off.

Once the patients were aboard I apparently was forgotten until evening when a MTB (Motor Torpedo Boat) arrived to take me ashore from the LCA. Once ashore I found I had again been forgotten, the cook house was closed.

Thus ended my first day in Sicily.

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